He slams his fist onto the desk, making everyone in the room flinch. His eyes flash dangerously, a hint of silver bleeding into the blue. “I’ve had enough! First Haron, then Ethan, now Holden. Assassins lurk within my lands, striking the guests of Kortan from the shadows every day. This is unacceptable!”
“My Lord.” I tread lightly. “I understand your frustration—”
“Frustration?” Xander cuts me off. “This is beyond frustration, Commander. This is a direct challenge to my authority as Alpha.”
“Commander,” Akila steps forward. “I’ve been hearing whispers among the other guards. If word of chaos in Kortan spreads to neighboring enemy packs, they’ll likely view it as the perfect opportunity to invade.”
“Akila’s right,” Gemma says. “Our reputation is at stake, and we must consider that the Shaman may believe that we deliberately lured their dignitaries here to attack them. This could have already sparked a war, Xander.”
The wordwarlingers ominously in the air. We all know what that would mean: bloodshed on a scale none of us have seen in our lifetimes.
Xander rubs his temples, his anger buckling under the demands of leadership. “Both of Elder Stasio’s children have accused Jayme of attacking them. I have no choice but to bring Jayme to trial before the Council, immediately.”
My heart drops. “A trial? We haven’t had a chance to conduct a proper investigation. You would be leading him to his death.”
“What would you have me do, Commander?” Xander’s voice is strained but resolute. “I am to be a father soon myself. Were I in Elder Stasio’s place, I would demand the same justice for my whelps.”
Stepping closer to his desk, I do my best to keep my voice level despite the panic brewing inside me. “My Lord, I understand the need for swift action, but executing one of our own without sufficient evidence...” I pause, choosing my words carefully. “That burden will weigh on all of us. On you. Forever.”
My eyes flick briefly to Ethan, whose face has become increasingly pale since he broached the subject. He knows as well as I do what’s at stake for Jayme, and perhaps for Ethan as well.
“I agree with Rhiannon,” Thea says, moving to stand beside Xander. She places a gentle hand on his arm. “Yes, we would want someone to pay if our child was attacked, but what if itwas our child who was wrongfully accused of being the attacker? Wouldn’t we want every possibility examined before they faced execution? We need to be sure before we cross a line like that.”
Branson, who had kept silent until now, squares his shoulders. “My Lord, Jayme is my brother. I know him better than anyone. Despite his challenges, he would never do this. Please, Alpha. Allow the Commander time to investigate properly.”
Xander looks at all of us, conflict evident in his expression. I can see him wrestling with his duty as Alpha to protect our territory and his loyalty to the pack members who have served him faithfully.
“Elder Stasio is demanding justice,” he says finally. “His anger is justified.”
“Elder Stasio is a reasonable man,” Lady Gemma counters this time, now siding with us. “He’s hurting, yes, but hecanbe reasoned with. If we explain that we’re conducting a thorough investigation to ensure true justice is served, he may understand.”
I take a breath, steadying myself. “Give me two days. That’s all I ask. Two days to find evidence of what really happened.”
Xander’s gaze sweeps across each of our faces, lingering on Thea’s pleading eyes, then Branson’s determined stance, before finally settling on me.
“Two days,” he concedes at last. “Not a moment longer, Commander. After that, Jayme goes before the Council, and we accept their judgment, whatever it may be.”
Relief floods through me, though I’m careful not to show it too openly. “Thank you, My Lord.”
“Don’t thank me yet,” Xander warns. “If you can’t find concrete evidence to exonerate Jayme, I expect you to stand with me when I deliver the Council’s verdict, even if that verdict is execution.”
“Yes, Alpha,” I say.
Jayme, I won’t let you down.
I’ll need every second of the next two days to prevent an innocent wolf from being sacrificed for nothing other than political expediency.
Chapter 22 — Rhiannon
After we leave Xander’s study, the guard members and Ethan walk back to my quarters with me to hash out a plan, but I can’t stop thinking about what just happened at the meeting.
The way I lashed out at Lady Gemma is haunting me. She’s the pack’s matriarch and the wisest woman I’ve ever known. I’ve challenged Xander before, when duty demanded it, but never her. And never with such venom. All because someone dared question Ethan’s word.
I cringe inwardly as I recall standing there, positioning myself between Xander and Ethan like a living shield.When did protecting him become more important than respecting my Alpha?
The thought of anyone doubting Ethan or questioning the value of his place here makes my wolf feral. It feels comparable to his very existence being threatened. Yet, that intensity of protectiveness has no business surfacing in front of anyone. Certainly not a subordinate, andespeciallynot the Alpha.
Being with Ethan has introduced me to something entirely new. It’s like I’ve tapped into a part of myself I didn’t know existed.
